Instagram has become a big part of Facebook (I guess), perhaps a competitor was eying it (like Google) -- and Facebook didn't want the enemy all up in their goods.
I actually agree with the valuation of 1Billy. Here is why: In the end they want to up their IPO price and this is the best way to do it, for multiple reasons. Reason 1 being that Instagram accounts for probably 60% of all my feed photos that friends upload...this means in the end Instagram is costing FB bandwidth space and server space (Albeit a minuscule amount) but the net cost of instagram is a loss...purchasing them provides a way for them to turn that loss in to profit. Second, simply a show a force. That FB as a corp has so much assets that paying 2x over valued and not batting an eye for a 1 trick pony can seriously make companies like Google piss themselves. Imagine if FB bought Zynga...then maybe purchased a search engine to search WITHIN FB, then partnered with Netflix in a bi-mutual manner to allow you to stream IN FB...this is just the beginning...we could essentially have no reason to ever leave the FB homescreen if they evolve like this.
THIS! I chose retro cam for Android about a week or two ago, 1 week before they released instagram for android almost simultaneously as facebook made this purchase. retro cam photos go straight to my gallery, so I added a gallery shortcut to my homepage screen and avoid the whole promotion aspect of sharing a hipsterfied photo. it is one more extra click but I feel like it gives me ownership and control of the photos I make and post. the filters are cool. don't front.
I sleep easier knowing I rightfully handed over this info than to have the info mined out of me over the years and kept in an Overwatch folder. They government has always kept tabs on us, now we can help them fill in the blanks! as for FB being bloated and slow, upgrade your RAM!
I like instagram, the filters make pictures look good (don't hate on me) and better than the output that my iPhone puts out regularly.
they are afraid of google buying instagram or instagram tapping into the social network market in the future, that plus the fact that the social media bubble is huge right now = $1b acquisition
Google isn't worried about Facebook. Facebook users are poking each other, every company with a dick advertises on Google. That's the difference. You're talking about Facebook expanding into all these pee-pee game areas, Google ****s out things like Android to protect its castle (search) and now iPhone has 99 problems.
If you don't think Google is scared why do you think google is investing so much G+. They are scared. People are spending more time on facebook plus it is a treasure trove of personal data. If google or microsoft could buy facebook for a 100bil either would do it.
1. Google builds moats, scare tactics to disrupt their competition. They never expect for it to takeoff, they'd simply like it to. In Android's case it worked, in the case of Google Wave -- not so much. Either way, no sweat off their back. 2. Google+, a disruptor, is a lean, highly-targeted database of leads. Supremely valuable. Google just built the thing, they don't care about it, I'm telling you... they don't care about. Its a pee-pee game. 3. Nobody advertises on Facebook, and when they do, it fails. Google's advertising capabilities have spawned new industries.
Its about market capture. If FB somehow can acquire and integrate a seamless web browser in their UI, you better believe tons of adverters will go to the FB browser in flocks and droves. Google is not the all powerful mega-machine...to be quite honest they suck at most everything. Outside of Gmail, Search Engine, and Android...everything else theyve done has been pure failure. Its almost horrific to see their track record...its like someone kicked them in the PENITH.
Moats my child... moats. Go poke someone on Facebook or post a pic of your shiny new t-shirt for all to see, "love me, love me, look at me, acknowledge me, attention, attention" -- that's Facebook.
